Truth or Lies
by C.Queen
Summary: A lady thief has kidnapped Florian and the poor man's only chance of escape is to convince her that he's too in love with Noir to ever want her!


Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them all in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and that's just the way it is. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Truth or Lies

Why the hell couldn't he have been born with ordinary eyes? And why should he, a basically decent human being, spend his lifetime paying for something he hadn't even asked for? God had decided the color of his eyes, he sure as hell had never been consulted. So really, it was rather unfair how bad things continued to happened to him solely based upon the fact that he had purple eyes. Amethyst, Florian corrected grimly, since everyone seemed to see his eyes in terms of jewels. Of maybe it was just jewel thieves who did that. Like the one sitting across from him at the dinner table.

"The meal is not to your liking?" The woman in question asked, her head resting in her hand as she watched him through the flickering of the candles laid upon the table between the dishes.

"I'd like it better if I weren't tied to my chair."

Laughing musically the woman really was stunning in the complimentary candlelight that highlighted her pale skin and hair. She was in her mid twenties and was flawlessly beautiful, something she used to her advantage when it came to dealing with her marks. Although she was high born and very wealthy, Lady Amelia Frost was a thief and a very good one. She stole anything that caught her fancy, often from the houses she'd just finished dining and dancing in. Having never been denied anything in her life, Amelia was enjoying the novel experience of a man who seemed immune to her charms. Men generally fell over themselves to be near her, while this one, well his present circumstances showed just how eager he'd been to remain in her company. Florian Du Rochefort, she thought dreamily, practically licking her lips in anticipation. He was simply beautiful, there was really no other word to describe him. A living David, so perfectly formed and shaped, her own Galatea even before you added his eyes to the mix. For those eyes, those two perfect gems, she could have overlooked any flaws he might have had. How perfect though, that the setting was as fine as the jewels themselves. Now all she had to do was make him realize he was meant to adorn no one but her.

Since the ropes were tied around his waist alone Florian had the use of his hands, but couldn't move enough to even try to look behind him. He was good and stuck in his present situation. Sine she looked so expectant Florian forced himself to pick up his fork once more to spear a potato. He knew they weren't drugged, as he'd watched the servant serve both him and her mistress from the same dishes. Or at least he hoped he wasn't being too naive, since drugging people wasn't something he knew much about.

)

"So just how long do you intend to keep me tied up like this, milady?" Florian asked politely, after swallowing the perfectly prepared morsel, such a welcome change from Laila's cooking.

"Until dinner is over. Our after dinner plans require a change of scenery."

Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up Florian had a bad idea he knew exactly what those plans were. Along with people obsessing about possessing his eyes, they also seemed to feel the need to ravish him while they had him, whether he was agreeable to the idea or not. He should have asked Noir for a chastity belt last Christmas because this was getting plain ridiculous. Not that he didn't like sex, but some say in the matter once in a while would be appreciated.

Watching the play of emotions across Florian's face Lady Amelia's took on a contemplative look. "You look as though you find the idea displeasing. A very strange reaction, I have to tell you. Perhaps it is true then, that you are the loan shark's lover. Do you only desire men, Florian?"

Normally this would be the part where Florian vehemently defended his manhood, but for once he got the distinct feeling it would be in his best interest to let her think the worst of him. "I desire only Ray." Florian announced, hoping to god he wasn't blushing like a school girl after her first kiss. "So you see, milady, I will be no good to you."

Raising an eyebrow Amelia was inttigued. "Are you suggesting that I cannot make you want me?"

"You are a very desirable woman as you stated, but any encounter of that nature between us would leave us both unsatisfied, I assure you."

Uh oh. This could end badly, Florian realized, watching her think that over. He was a man after all, and his body wasn't in the habit of listening to him when he needed it to behave. But no, she could get a rise out of him, Florian acknowledged, but she really couldn't make him want her enough for him to sleep with her. He didn't desire her, hadn't desired any woman really, since before he'd realized his eyes and body naturally gravitated towards Noir before any other. Not that he wasn't in heavy denial, and intended to stay in denial about his feeling for the thief until Heaven became Hell and Laila learned how to cook. Noir had already stolen his body, Florian intended to be damned before he let Noir have his heart too.

"Why do you think that?"

"Have you ever made love to someone you cared about, solely for them and not their appearance or title?" Florian asked, bidding his time while he triedto think how he was going to get out of this. Unfortunately she didn't need to think about that, since she automatically shook her head no. "Oh..well...making love to someone like that is always better than the lovemaking between even the most skilled of lovers." At least that what he'd been told once and it seemed like as good a line to feed her as any. Noir's kisses certainly did more for him than any kiss he'd ever shared with anyone else, even women he'd genuinely cared for. And that thought was being put in a box and pushed to the back of his mind, Florian thought, needing all his wits about him. Thoughts about Noir tended to be just too damn distracting.

"So you suggest I wouldn't satisfy you because I am not Ray Cmt Balzac Courland." Amelia reasoned, seeing where he was going with all this. "You care deeply for him and therefore his touch is more desirable to you than even the most knowledgeable courtesan."

"Ah yeah." Was the best Florian could come up with. He'd unfortunately gotten a visual of Noir playing the role of courtesan to his master and was now squirming in his chair for an entirely different reason. Being a thief, Noir was likely very, very good with his hands. Extremely good. Knowing just where to touch and how much pressure to exert to get the desire reaction of his-oh boy, he had to find a way to change the subject!

Unfortunately Lady Amelia wasn't interested in talking about anything else.

)

"Interesting." She informed him, absently taking a sip of her wine. "I've never heard of such a thing, but it would explain why so many men of my class take outside lovers despite the added cost and occasional scandal. We marry for money and land after all, with love having nothing to do with it. Therefore, if sex is better between caring partners, it only stands to reason they'd be willing to pay more for the pleasures to be found outside the marriage bed."

"Marriage is a very important institution." Florian argued, forgetting how much he wanted to get off the topic of lovers.

"Well you'd think that way naturally, as you could never marry a man." She pointed out rationally. "Your relationship will always be nothing but an abomination in the eyes of Christian society."

"Did you know that there are more admonishments towards heterosexual couples in the Bible than towards homosexual ones? If God has such a problem with it you'd think he'd have made his displeasure more explicit." Was Florian's fierce response. And it was true, he'd read the book extensively in past in the hopes that that would out weigh the occasionally illegal things he helped Noir do. He went to church, gave money to it, and prayed with Noel every night. Surely that had to count for something. "And I'll remind you that males having lovers of the same sex was common enough once upon a time in the foundations of today's society. Many of the greatest minds in Ancient Greece and Rome had male lovers."

Amelia had to concede he had a point. "You've given this a lot of thought."

Opening his mouth to deny it Florian closed it when he realized he had indeed given this more thought than he'd realized. Not good. His subconscious was working against him again, trying to make him think that maybe there was nothing wrong with making all the rumors about his relationship with Noir true. Stupid subconscious, it was even more scatterbrained and naive than his regular conscious.

)

Swirling her wine in her glass Amelia was enjoying the conversation immensely. "So just how much do you care for the loan shark? You don't strike me as the type to be interested in such a savage, ill reputed man. Though he is gorgeous." She added, since it was the truth. Not all all her type, but she could see the appeal well enough.

How much did he care for Noir? Talk about your taboo subjects. He could literally feeel his cheeks heating up.

"Why you're blushing!" Delighted with his response Amelia clapped her hands together in appreciation. "How utterly adorable!"

Getting even redder Florian thought it best to take a sip of his own wine. Getting drunk seemed like a good idea all of a sudden.

"So you love him then. Does he love you?" Marvelling at the idea Amelia considered for the first time that she might have to let him go. She was just girlie enough to find the idea terribly romantic, the man before her forgoing the pleasures of her charms for the sake of his love for another. Really, who would expect such a commitment in today's time and age?

Did Noir love him? Not a chance in Hell. Noir would go to the gallows laughing before he'd admit to such tender feelings. But the girl did seem to like the idea, Florian noted, seeing the dreamy look in her eyes that girls and women tended to get during romantic situations or forms of entertainment. In other words, it was best to let her continue with those romantic notions. "Ray loves me very much." Florian confirmed, relieved that neither God nor the Devil seemed intent to strike him down for his bald faced lie. The Devil was always a possibility after all, since Florian wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that Noir had a pact with the demon.

"So he will miss you terribly if you don't return." She concluded. "His eyes did seem to follow you everywhere you went last night, at the Carlton affair. It did strike me as a rather intense stare."

"He's probably beside himself at the moment." Florian assured her. "That's why I must get back to him with due haste." If he could get back within the hour, maybe Noir never need know he'd been kidnapped in the first place. Florian was getting mighty annoyed with the easily kidnappable jokes.

"Earlier you claimed you had to get home because of someone named Noel."

"My ward." Florian explained smoothly, having forgotten he'd tried to use Noel as a reason earlier. "Ray and I are the only parents he has." Actually, Noel's father was quite alive, but she didn't need to know that.

"I see. You can't have children naturally, so you adopted a child. Why, you're just like a regular family." Imagine that.

A regular family? Noir was a loan shark, thief, whip carrying ass with an arrogance exceeding the ocean's depths. He himself was a penniless aristocrat fallen so low he was literally owned by Noir, and the people they travel with were a hodgepodge of thieves, smugglers, and strays Noir had picked up along the way. Oh yes, they were just the most perfect of families, Florian thought to himself.

)

And so Amelia came to a sorry conclusion.

"Well that being the case....it really would be wrong of me to keep you from them." It was one thing to steal a person from the streets and another to steal him from a family who would miss him desperately. She supposed she could simply steal the other two members of his family, but didn't think that would be a good idea since she didn't overly care for children much. Plus, the Count probably wouldn't be at all accommodating of the idea of sharing Florian with her. Getting to her feet Amelia walked around the table and looked over her charge wistfully. "Are you very sure you want to go?"

"Very sure." Florian was quick to assure her, more than ready to part ways for a long, long time.

"Well all right then." Summoning one of her servants Amelia ordered that Florian's ropes be untied, freeing the grateful blonde.

Instantly shoving back his chair Florian lurched to his feet, the blood going to his head after having it partially cut off for over an hour. Holding onto the table with one hand to keep his balance Florian gave Amelia a grateful look. "I very much appreciate this, I'm sorry I was not what you'd hoped I would be."

Smiling back at him Amelia waved off his apologies. "No matter. You have given me much to think about. I think perhaps my next goal shall be to steal the heart of someone, in order to test your theory."

"Just remember that a person's heart is a heavy burden to bear." Florian cautioned her sternly letting go of the table now that he'd gotten his equilibrium back.

"I will." She promised, though there was a sparkle in her eyes that suggested she wasn't taking him nearly as seriously as he meant her too.

"Then I'll take my leave." Giving her a courtly bow of respect Florian was so pleased to be leaving he almost reached out to kiss her hand. Then he thought better of it, not wanting to tempt fate.

"Do you remember the way out?" Amelia asked, intending to make a list as soon as he left of the hearts she wanted to steal for her experiment.

Assuring her that he did Florian beat a hasty retreat, leaving the dining room at shat he hoped was a sedate walk, than breaking out into a full run as soon as he'd closed the door behind him. Ignoring the startled glances of the servants he passed Florian didn't slow his pace until he'd finally reached the front door and freedom.

)

Flinging the heavy oak door open Florian let himself out and than slammed the door shut behind him with more force than was entirely necessary. Bounding down the front steps Florian quickly followed the path leading towards the main gates, the final barrier between him and the outside world. It was terribly dark out, which was a definite disappointment since it meant his chances of hiding this all from Noir were next to nil. His absence was not going to be explained by the excuse of having lost track of time or where he was. Damn.

Reaching the open gates Florian easily passed through them and found himself on the city street, without any trouble at all. Or at least there was nothing troubling until he realized he had no way of getting home. They'd taken his wallet from him earlier and he had been in such a rush to get away that he'd completely forgotten to ask for its return. He actually didn't even know where here was. He could hire a hack, but than he'd have to get Noir to pay for it, never a pleasant experience. Turning back to face the manor house Florian grimaced, realizing that he was most likely going to have to go back in there and ask for the return of his things.

"Problem?"

Nearly jumping out of his skin Florian's neck jerked up with a snap at the sound of a voice from above. Tipping his head back Florian's eyes widened as he caught sight of Noir, casually sitting atop the brick wall that encircled the manor. With the faint light from the street lamps, Florian could just barely make the thief out from among the shadows.

"What are you..how did you....where..?" So confused was he that Florian didn't even make a sound when Noir slide off his perch to land a couple metres from him in a predatory crouch before straightening. Watching Noir close in on him Florian could only stare blankly.

"What am I doing here? Saving your sorry ass as usual. How did I know where you were? I found someone who recognized your abductor's carriage." Noir informed him, never taking his eyes off his prized possession. "And where did I come from? From the same place as you."

The same place as he?...

Eyes widening Florian got a really, really bad feeling. "You were in the house?"

"Obviously. It was a nice change of pace though from your abductor to just give you up without a fight. Of course, usually you don't plea for your freedom quite that way. Or do you?"

Going as pale as a ghost Florian could see his life flashing before his eyes. Noir was surely going to let him have it now. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

"So I love you, do I?" Noir continued, reaching out to run the back of his hand along Florian's cold cheek. "I'd be beside myself without you? Isn't that what you told her, Florian?"

"I lied."

"Really?" Now Noir lifted a questioning eyebrow as his hand slid around to grasp the back of Florian's head, holding the blonde's head in place as he got right up in Florian's face. "And what else did you lie about? Your feelings for me, perhaps?"

"Uhm...I don't recall stating my feelings for you." Was the best Florian could come up with, the color rushing back into his face.

"But you want only me, right. Only my hands are allowed to touch you. Only they can give you true pleasure." His voice taking on a low, seductive tone Noir leaned in to teasingly brush his lips against Florian's. "You are mine alone, Isn't that what you led her to believe?"

Not knowing what else to do Florian nodded weakly, thinking it was usually best to agree with Noir even when he didn't understand or agree.

"Glad you finally figured that out."

Pulling back Noir gave him a satisfied look than turned on his heels, heading down the street without an apparent care in the world.

Staring blankly after him for a moment, Florian quickly snapped out of his daze and took off after the thief, not wanting to be left behind.

He was never going to understand that man.


End file.
